Site Resources

VA-95 Site Resources

Updated 1 September 2026

To manage a tribute site such as this requires a lot of researching historical data, military and Navy history to ensure accuracy of events in VA-95’s history. Rather than the reader thinking that I’m telling “sea stories,” I’ve listed the online resources I have used for the material on this site. Check it out for yourself.

Squadron-Unit History

World War II – VT-20 Torpedo Twenty

Yankee Team Operations – 1964-1965

Yankee Team operations were covert U.S. military aerial reconnaissance missions conducted over the Kingdom of Laos beginning in May 1964 during the early stages of the Vietnam War and the Laotian Civil War. This was Intelligence Gathering authorized by the U.S. and the Laotian government to track North Vietnamese troop movements and Pathet Lao activities along infiltration routes and the Plain of Jars. VA-95 Participated in this from the USS Ranger CV-61. Operation Barrel Roll was a covert U.S. military bombing campaign conducted in Laos during the Vietnam War from December 1964 to March 1973

Operation Flaming Dart II – 1965

Following the Viet Cong attack at Pleiku, VA-95 participated in the carrier operations surrounding the U.S. retaliatory air campaign.

Operation Rolling Thunder – 1965

Operation Rolling Thunder was a gradual and sustained aerial bombardment campaign conducted by the U.S. military and South Vietnam against North Vietnam from March 1965 to November 1968 during the Vietnam War.

Operation End Sweep – February – July 1973

VA-95 deployed aboard USS Coral Sea with CVW-15. Its Intruders supported the operation to clear mines from North Vietnamese waters following the Paris Peace Accords.

Operation Frequent Wind – 29–30 April 1975

Operation Frequent Wind was the final large-scale helicopter evacuation of American civilians and at-risk Vietnamese from Saigon on April 29–30, 1975, during the fall of South Vietnam. VA-95 A-6As flew armed escort missions over the Saigon area during the evacuation of Americans and South Vietnamese on April 29–30.

SS Mayaguez Incident – May 15, 1975

The SS Mayaguez incident was a brief military conflict between the United States and Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge from May 12 to 15, 1975 as a result of Khmer Rouge naval forces seized the U.S. merchant container ship SS Mayaguez in international waters in the Gulf of Thailand. Following the Khmer Rouge seizure of SS Mayaguez, VA-95 flew combat sorties from USS Coral Sea. VA-95 A-6As struck Cambodian military targets, including facilities around Ream, during operations associated with the Mayaguez crisis.

Ernest Will Missions

Operation Earnest Will was a U.S. naval mission that began in July 1987 primarily to escort reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers and was the largest naval convoy operation since World War II.

Operation Praying Mantis-April 18 1988

Operation Praying Mantis was a one-day naval battle fought on April 18, 1988, when the U.S. Navy attacked Iranian naval forces in the Persian Gulf

Operation Fiery Vigil – June 1991

Operation Fiery Vigil was a massive emergency evacuation of over 20,000 U.S. military personnel, Department of Defense civilians, and their dependents from Clark Air Base and U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay in the Philippines during the catastrophic June 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo

Operation Continue Hope – October 12 – November 3, 1993

Operation Continue Hope was a U.S. military mission that provided logistical, intelligence, and quick-reaction support to the United Nations Operation in Somalia

Operation Southern Watch – 1993 and 1995

Operation Southern Watch was a military air-patrol operation Enforcing the no-fly zone over southern and south-central Iraq to protect Shiite Muslim populations from attacks by Saddam Hussein’s regime following the 1991 Persian Gulf War

Operation Vigilant Sentinel – 1995

Operation Vigilant Sentinel was a 1995 U.S. military contingency response to Iraqi troop movements near the Kuwaiti border

Aircraft Data – The Aircraft of Our Squadron’s Geneology

Our Aircraft Carriers

  1. USS Enterprise (CV-6)
  2. USS Lexington (CV-16)
  3. USS Philippine Sea (CV-47)
  4. USS Hornet (CV-12)
  5. USS Oriskany (CV-34)
  6. USS Ticonderoga (CV-14)
  7. USS Ranger (CV-61)
  8. USS Intrepid (CV-11)
  9. USS Shangri-La (CV-38)
  10. USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
  11. USS Coral Sea (CV-43)
  12. USS America (CV-66)
  13. USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
  14. USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)

The Aircraft Carrier Classes

Of the 14 aircraft carriers we’ve deployed on in our VA-95 history. 7 of the carriers are Essex Class carriers.

Aircraft Carrier Cruise Books: VA-95 Cruise History

Some cruise books are missing and that is because they only cover the ships company. No Carrier Air Wing or squadron information is available

  1. USS Philippine Sea CV-47 Cruise Book 1946 – 48
  2. USS Philippine Sea (CVA 47) Korean Cruise Book 1952-53
  3. USS Hornet (CV 12) World Cruise Book 1954 – VA-95
  4. USS Oriskany (CVA 34) WestPac Cruise Book 1956 – VA-95
  5. USS Ticonderoga (CVA 14) WestPac Cruise Book 1957-58
  6. USS Ranger (CV 61) WestPac Cruise 1960
  7. USS Ranger (CV 61) WestPac Cruise 1961 – 62
  8. USS Ranger (CV 61) WestPac Cruise 1962 – 63
  9. USS Ranger (CV 61) WestPac Cruise 1964 – 65
  10. USS Intrepid (CVS 11) WestPac Cruise Book 1966 – VA 95
  11. USS Shangri-La (CVA 38) Mediterranean Cruise Book 1967-68 – VA-95
  12. USS John F. Kennedy (CVA 67) Mediterranean Cruise Book 1969 – VA-95
  13. USS Coral Sea (CVA 43) WestPac Cruise Book 1973
  14. USS Coral Sea (CV 43) WestPac Cruise Book 1977 – VA-95
  15. USS America (CV 66) Mediterranean Cruise Book 1979 – VA-95
  16. USS America (CV 66) Mediterranean and Indian Ocean Cruise Book 1981 – VA-95
  17. USS Enterprise (CVN 65) WestPac Cruise Book 1982-83
  18. USS Enterprise (CVN 65) WestPac Cruise Book 1984-85 – VA-95
  19. USS Enterprise (CVN 65) World Cruise Book 1986 – VA-95
  20. USS Enterprise (CVN 65) WestPac Cruise Book 1988 – VA-95
  21. USS Enterprise (CVN 65) World Cruise Book 1989-90 – VA-95
  22. USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Maiden Cruise Book 1991 – VA-95
  23. USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) WestPac Cruise Book 1993 – VA-95
  24. USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) WestPac Cruise Book 1995 – VA-95

Once a Lizard, always a Lizard.

A-6 Intruder Silhouette - Tailhook Down on Approach

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